The present invention provides a process for obtaining a very clean mesophase pitch from isotropic pitch. This invention utilizes a solvent fractionation process which does not involve the process steps, yield loss and waste generation associated with fluxing and filtering the isotropic pitch. Additionally, this invention provides a liquid/liquid extraction process that avoids the solids handling and the high temperatures and pressures of supercritical fluid extraction. Finally, this invention controls the hardness of the mesophase product.